recommendations for high CRI video lights in the 4000 to 8000 lm range?

[afieldofblue]

Hello all,

I shoot video, and work primarily in ambient light (+filters) for tropical wide angle on an LX10 compact. This setup is a brick in its NALX10 housing, but now nice and almost neutral - I would like to keep it that way.

Currently based in Bali, I've also been shooting a lot of macro to wide angle, and for this my artificial light setup consists of one centrally mounted Backscatter MW4300, complemented by my old two Archon D11Vii 1000 lumen lights on flexarms (locline)
I like this 3 light set up, which is very flexible, and would like to keep it.

However, I'd like to upgrade the 2 Archons, which don't do much, to something more powerful (for medium shots), and with a good CRI (the backscatter has a CRI in the 70s in both modes).

I'm also starting to shooting small transparent critters in the water column (day and night), and would need a good two light setup to light them up correctly.

So to be clear, I'm not looking for wide-angle 10K plus lights at the moment, just a good set of lights with a good CRI to complement the MW4300.

One major constraint is weight: I'd like to keep using the two new lights on my flexarms, so weight is an issue, and I'd like to keep it under -250g negative buoyancy for each light if possible.

I'm also partial to a COB system with a good CRI (85 and up), and tighter beams than wide (max 120°).

To sum up, my ideal video light specs would be:

- COB, CRI 80 and up
- 4000 to 9000 lumen
- beam angle 120° max (110°, 100°, 90°, 85° is better)
- negative buoyancy under -250g
if they can be constant output (constant discharge) instead of dimming, it's even better, but I know this is rare


- Buying in Indonesia is a bit of a nightmare, very little choice and importing is not an option (+40% import tax), but I'd really need something I can find and work with here...

Looking into what's available in Indonesia where I am now, I don't have much choice - Basically BigBlue, Orcatorch, Supe/Divevolk/Fotocore, Weefine

I've narrowed it down to these available models:


- Big Blue CB4000P COB 120° beam, 4000 lm - CRI85 - weight: 393g air -168g uw -
$330 USD per light, $660 for a pair

- Big blue CB7200PB COB 120° beam, 7000 lm - CRI85 - weight: 653g in air, -272g uw
$430 USD per light, $860 for pair

The weight of the 7200 might be pushing it on the flexarms (not sure if they can hold -272g underwater), and brings my total light weight to -800g to compensate underwater.

These do look good on paper, but I see a lot of BigBlue bashing in the forum so I though I'd ask, as these are quite an expensive investment for me.
Is it really 50% of the lumen advertised as some posters insist, so the 4000lm would only be 2000 lm lights?

Other models that I've considered and are available here are as follows:

- Orcatorch 910V COB, 120° beam, CRI 92 (?) weight 430g on land (I'm guessing this is without batteries), -215g uw
$400 USD, so $800 for a pair

Another options which seems to tick a lot of boxes is the Weefine range:

Smartfocus, currently in 5000 lumen and 7000 lumen versions, but they're quite pricey...

Weefine WF082 5000 lumen, 100° beam (yes!), 5000K CRI 80, 570g on land, -240g underwater

the now sadly discontinued Weefine WF066 6000lm, 100° (yes!), 5000K CRI 80, 490g on land, -240g underwater

Another option seems to be the 5000 lumen in the SUPE/Fotocore/Divefolk range which seem to have rebranded versions of the same product selling for around $380 USD a piece

SUPE VK3 5000 lumen, 5600K 120°, CRI96 490g in air, -295 underwater

DIVEFOLK SL50 5000 lumen, 5600K, 120°, CRI 96, 505g on land, uw -295g

FOTOCORE M5 5000 lumen, 5600K, 120°, CRI 96, 505g on land, uw -295g

Manufacturer specs give 40 minutes at 5000 lumen (!), and they're quite heavy. I've also owned one SUPE snootlight with the same button which failed (water ingress from the button) miserably....


Finally, for less than half the price I can get some cheapies here like the:

Leton L12 COB “5000 lumen” (or is 8000...?) 600g on land with battery (so probably a brick uw)
$260 USD for a pair

Thrustfire D50, "6500 lumen", 300g on land without battery
$200 USD for a pair

But i'd rather have something that doesn't fail too quickly, and they really look like bricks...

-----

Some questions: are the BigBlue lights really that bad as some people make them sound here?

Reading up on the threads here it seems they're: overpriced, half the lumen output, terrible discharge (non linear - but linear discharge is reare).

The lumen output is an issue, as 4000 lumen is not much, so I would like 4000 lumen, not 2000...


Advice/opinions would be very very welcome!

cheers
ben

 

[Cymro99]

I used a pair of the Letonpower Turbo S lights for a few trips last year and was very impressed given the price point. I think the brand is solid.

I did hear that they have some new lights coming out in the next...(month?)
They were announced at a trade show in Asia during the summer.
I Will see what I can find on them. They were a step up in price and quality from the Turbo S and so they may meet your needs.

The Turbo S were a step up from the L-12 you linked to.

 

[afieldofblue]

Thanks.

I finaly got some constant-output lights, as this was important for me, but in a higher price range:
a pair of Kraken Hydra 8000 WRGBU V2
They're 6000 lumen lights that can also do 8000 lumen for 40 minutes, true constant output, light quality is great.

However light ergonomics are not good - 3 buttons, with a long-press short press combination on the same button used both to put the light on standby AND to cycle through modes - press too short / long and you end up cycling through the modes instead of turning on the lights. Not good.

I bought the new Kraken remote, but unfortunately it is only partially compatible with the lights - I'm trying to see what can be done with Kraken, but in the current state, the remote itself also uses the same long-press short press combination used both to put the light on standby AND to cycle through modes (not using the remote's dedicated mode dial...) which kind of defeats the purpose.

Waiting to see what Kraken can do (apparently a paying "upgrade" of the lights - which just came out - may be an option for full remote compatibility).

I'll write a review on the Kraken lights and remote once this is cleared up

cheers

 

[Cymro99]

I do wonder who specifies and designs the controls for of some of these lights - do they even dive? It's great to have all the colors of the rainbow available, but in a fast changing environment in many cases all I want is a quick on/off.
I totally have empathy for your comment on the kraken and I hope they sort it out. The remote control is VERY interesting and I wondered why they hadn't sold more and become established.